Finally Said
by randomnessonhigh
Summary: It focuses on Zuko and Katara. He liked her and she liked him. But at the same time they hated each other, well, for Katara's part anyway. Everything changed when they were trapped in one of the temples they were exploring. Please do leave a review. TNX.


It's been two weeks and _he's _still here…

Two weeks since _she_ last confronted _him_…

Two weeks since _he_ was a prince…

Two weeks…

Two weeks…

It was half-past noon, the sun rose high in the sky above the Western air Temples, where the Avatar and his friends rested after eating.

_It's been a long time_, thought Aang. _I haven't been here for a long time. I was supposed to start my training here, but I left. I wonder if anything's different. _He got up and walked around, arms behind his head. Momo swooped in and rested on his shoulders.

"Hey buddy! Are you up for some exploration?"

Momo said nothing and continued to rest on his shoulders. Aang smiled and patted his flying lemur. He then went inside the temple and looked for potential explorers. His first stop was Toph and Katara's room. He knew Toph wouldn't pass out something like this. And Katara, well…he'd like to keep her company.

He knocked on the door; it swung open revealing the smiling face of the water bender.

"Hey Katara, do you wanna go and explore some of the temples here?" He asked.

"I don't know, it might be dangerous. I mean there might be traps to keep out intruders and all that. You never know what might happen."

"Oh come on. I'm pretty sure it'll be alright. After all, Air nomads aren't' like that trust me. I'm one of them."

"Well, I don't know, Aang…"

"Please…" Aang insisted.

"Well…"

Katara caught sight of Aang's face. Her attention was brought to his eyes. Those eyes…those eyes! Those puppy-dog eyes! He was doing them again. And the quivering lip, oh. Darn it! She can't resist. She gave in and said,

"Fine, I'll go. And stop doing those puppy-dog eyes." She said, rather crossed.

"Great! Now where's Toph?"

"Down by the stream."

The mischievous earth bender, with an air for breaking rules, sat on a flat rock, her legs crossed beneath her. She was toying with some reed she found by the bank. She greeted Aang before he could.

"So Toph, you wanna go explore the temples?"

"Of course, twinkle-toes! Anyway, I've got nothing better to do. So who else are coming?"

"Well there's Katara…then probably Sokka, but I think he's sleeping…"

"Hmm, sugarqueen's coming? Seriously?"

"Yup, after I pulled the puppy-dog eyes trick."

"And as for sock-head…I think I can convince him." Toph suddenly bore a crooked grin. She looked sinister and twisted. Aang had to step back, he was a bit worried on what Toph was about to do.

Aang and Toph went back into the temple. Two doors to the right of the opening was Sokka's room. Aang knocked gently, as not to bother him. But Toph tried a different approach.

"Toph what are you doing?"

"You'll see." She said with the same grin.

Knowing Toph and that grin this might not end well. He took a step back and watched the scene unfold.

"Hey sock-head! You wanna go explore the temples?" Toph said knocking rather loudly at the door.

"Go away!" Sokka groaned form inside, "I'm trying to sleep here!"

"It's the afternoon!" Toph answered back getting into her stance.

"Uh, Toph, what are you –" Aang said a bit anxious.

"Just watch twinkle-toes." Still the same grin on her face.

"Look, if you guys want to go to that temple, I say..." Toph was sure that Sokka was sitting upright, she earth bended a medium-sized rock through the door. The door fell down revealing Sokka sitting upright (like Toph knew), and looking shocked with eyes WIDE open. The rock was at least a millimeter from his face.

"So you comin' or not?" Toph asked.

"Yeah, just give me a sec."

Sokka fainted on his mat.

"Well, I guess it could've gone worse," Aang said quite reassuringly to Momo.

"Okay then, we have Sokka, Toph Katara and what about Haru and the Duke?" Aang said turning to his pet. Momo just stared at his master.

"Okay then to Haru and the Duke!"

Aang went down the hall and to his left was Haru's room. He knocked, and the door creaked open. Nobody's inside.

Right in front of Haru's room was the Duke's room. He knocked and same thing. Nobody was in there. Wait! _I remember!_

It was the Duke and Haru's turn to get food.

He went to the room next to Haru's. There he found the boy with the spirit of an Air Bender, Teo, the inventor's son.

He knocked on the door and it opened showing Teo in his chair as usual.

"Hey Teo, you wanna go and explore the other temples?"

"Sure, who else are going?"

"Katara, Toph, Sokka and probably Zuko, and you."

"I think I'll just stay here, when Haru and Duke get back, at least they won't worry."

"Oh okay, I'll pomise I'll tell you what happens."

"Sure Aang."

So with that, Aang traveled to the other side of the hall, where the former prince of the Fire Nation stayed.

As Aang and Momo were walking down the hall that led to Prince Zuko's room, they noticed that it seemed dark, despite the many windows. Momo quivered and gave a small squeak.

"Relax Momo, Zuko's on our side now," he reassured the lemur.

They approached Zuko's room, Aang knocked and it was opened half-way. The prince was scrutinizing him and finally, he asked,"What do you want?" in his usual tone of annoyance.

"Just wanted to ask if you wanted to come with us and explore the temples. So do you?" Aang asked, the usual boyish smile on his face.

"What makes you think I'd want to go there?"

"Nothing, since you're always cooked up in here. Maybe some adventure might do you some good."

Zuko pondered for a moment. He's not always in there – is he? Well, if it seems that way, it's that stupid water bender's fault. _Why doesn't she just accept that I've changed? I offered to help the Avatar with fire bending. Why can't she just forget about the past! And why does she have to appear everywhere? She's everywhere I look! _

Aang stared at Zuko with the same smile, Zuko looked at Aang and at the annoying smile on his face. He then said,

"Fine, I'll go…" _Maybe it'll take my mind off _her_ for a while._

"Okay then, let's go Sifu Hotman!" Aang dragged Zuko across the halls and outside to where the rest of them were. To his surprise, and dismay, the stupid water tribe girl was there.

"Uhm, I think I'll skip this one," he whispered to Aang, though he's pretty sure that everybody heard it, especially _that_ water bender.

"You can't. Come on, this'll be fun!"

"What's the matter prince Zuko? Afraid?" taunted Katara.

"I'm not," he said through gritted teeth, though silently, "fine let's go."

They rode on the flying bison, they passed numerous temples, but Aang was still going on.

"Aang, you do know that passed a lot of temples already. Right?" Toph said.

"I'm just looking for the right one – there it is!" Aang pointed to the temple with the big pointed top. It shone greatly beneath the sun.

"Wow! Now that's a temple," Sokka exclaimed in amazement.

They landed on the Jade tiles of the temple entrance. They went in and gazed at the brilliance of the inside. The ceiling had a mosaic of the Air benders united. The floors gleamed, it was made out precious jewels and stones placed together to make the symbol of the Air nomads. It was a big conference room.

"This is where they settle on the rules and everything else that concerns us. Some conferences were even between all four nations. Or sometimes just for sparring."

Aang went to the wall, he placed his ear against it and started knocking.

"Aang, what are you doing?" Katara asked.

"I know there's a secret entrance here, Monk Giatso said that it leads into a chamber containing the treasures of the Air Nomads."

"Well, if it's treasure, then step aside I'll look for it!" Sokka said, excited.

Sokka started knocking at almost every portion of the wall, listening intently for something hollow. He eyed suspiciously and hit it with his boomerang once or twice. He even went far as to lick it. Everybody groaned at the sight of his tongue touching the wall.

"Sokka, you do know that's disgusting right?" Katara said, her hand to her stomach.

"'Ell I bon't sfee any ov you tfaying!" he said his tongue stuck out.

"Let me try sock-head," Toph pushed him aside and placed her hand on the wall, trying to feel it with her earth bending.

"Oh yeah," Sokka placed his tongue back in, "if you're so good at it why don't you – "

Sokka broke off at mid-sentence as Toph opened the entrance to the said chamber.

"Now, who's the best?" she said rubbing it in Sokka's face.

"Never mind," Sokka said defeated and scowling.

The stairs leading to the chamber were winding. The forks were just leading them in circles.

"Hey, isn't this the same spot we've been too ten minutes ago?" Sokka said, quite puzzled.

"Yeah sock-head, we've been passing this back and forth. I don't understand why my earth bending can't sense the direction of the chamber," Toph said.

"Well, Air nomad monks were one of the smartest people in the world. They know ways of tricking the senses," Aang supplied.

"Then we're just going on a wild-goose chase," Zuko said glumly in one corner.

"Well, at least we're trying to figure out where it is. _You_ just sit there and hold that fire in your palm," Katara snapped.

"Well, without this fire, we'd all be lost and won't find our way!" Zuko retorted.

Zuko and Katara were nose to nose. Aang stepped in the middle and played mediator.

"Guys, we don't need this right now. We just need to find a way to get out of here."

"And what? Leave the treasure? No way!" Sokka protested.

"Sokka, if you want to look for the treasure, go ahead, get lost in this tunnel. While the rest of us enjoy the comfort of food, water and a bed back at the temple okay?" Toph said.

"What are we gonna do now?" Katara asked.

"I don't know actually. I think we just need to retrace our steps." Aang answered uncertainly.

"How are we gonna do that if we've been going around in circles for the past half hour?" Sokka said.

Aang started walking around and suddenly he stepped on something. It sank; it's some kind of switch, because after that, Zuko's flame went out.

"Hey what's going on?"

"Aang are you there?"

"Sokka is this you?"

"Now you know how I feel."

"Zuko, what happened to the lights?"

"I don't know exactly. It just burned out. I can't make any more," Zuko answered a little embarrassed.

"Great, we're lost. I'm hungry. Sifu Hot head can't make light – "

"Would you people please stop calling me that?!"

Sokka continued on like nothing happened, "…we've been going 'round in circles, Haru and Duke might be looking for us, I'm hungry, we could be stuck in here forever, I'm hungry, it's dark and something's hanging on to my leg –"

"Oh, sorry. I just can't feel anything so I grabbed on to something close by," Toph said.

"– and worst of all, I'M HUNGRY!" Sokka's voice echoed through out the tunnel. Seconds later, they felt the earth shake. The rocks were falling from the ceiling, and the walls seemed to crumble.

"Great! Thanks Sokka!" Toph roared over the shaking.

Then suddenly the floor split into two, Toph, Aang and Sokka on one side. Katara and Zuko on the other. The shaking became more vigorous, the fork's stairs turned into slides. The shaking caused everybody to tip over and fall on the slides. Soon everyone was yelling and screaming.

"AANG!"

"KATARA!" Aang's voice faded into the distance as they were descending.

Katara noticed that she was with someone, "Toph, is that you?" The hands were too rough to be a girl's. "Sokka?" She prayed it wouldn't be _him_.

"Guess again," Zuko said spitefully.

They landed on their rears, everything was dark. No candles, torches or anything. It was cold and damp, and _she _was with someone whom detested greatly.

"So how are going to get out of here?" Katara said more to herself rather than _him_.

"Beats me."

"Look, I know you don't like me," Katara started.

"Doesn't take a genius to figure that out," Zuko retorted.

"Right," Katara's patience was being tested now, "but we better work together if we want to find our way out…If there is a way out," she said mostly to herself.

An awkward silence.

"So how about light?" Katara started a bit positive now.

"I'm not sure…it might not be –"

"Just try it." She answered quickly and impatiently.

_Bossy, stupid, know-it-all water bender._

Zuko tried creating it, but it was only a small flame. It lit up the space where they were at, but not the all corners. Something moved in the darkness, Zuko barely saw it with his right eye. It moved too fast.

"We've got company," he said plainly.

"I-it's probably just a mouse or something," Katara said anxiously.

They heard the rustling of leaves, it made both of them jump. Katara instinctively grabbed hold of Zuko, he put his arm around her. They were both staring in opposite directions. Looking for the mouse – was it?

Zuko felt her hand against his chest, it felt warm and comfortable. Katara felt his arms, strong, safe and securing. It took a while before they noticed that they were holding each other. Both of them pulled away.

"Uhm", Zuko cleared his throat, "we better look for some wood or leaves."

"R-right" Katara stuttered.

Moments later they were sitting around a small camp fire, sitting side by side. They were both silent; staring into the burning embers of the flame. Katara was just poking it with a stick, Zuko just stared and took to his memories. There was a time that they both stuck together in a similar situation. Similar to the one that had happened not long ago in the earth kingdom…

"_The Fire nation took my mother."_

"_At least we have something in common."_

"_Zuko, I – I didn't know…I'm sorry."_

"_Well, now you do."_

He felt that it was easy to open up to her, and he could tell her anything. Even about his scar…

"_My father decided to teach a permanent lesson on my face just for speaking out of line."_

"_You know, I might be able to heal that, I have healing abilities."_

"_Nothing can heal this"_

"_This is spirit water from the Northern Water tribe, it has special healing properties."_

He remembered how her hand felt when it touched his face. It felt the same way it did now.

Beside him, Katara was reminiscing the same memory. She remembered how she felt sorry for him. She felt a special connection with him because if what they both lost. She felt like _he _was actually…human. But it quickly disappeared after he chose his side and decided to kill the Avatar. She remembered how offered to heal that scar of his with the spirit water. The spirit water that later on be used to heal Aang's wound. She remembers beating herself up each night after that, asking herself: _If I had _wasted _that on _him, _Aang might not be here anymore. _

Tears fell from her face at the thought of Aang not being here if she had used it on Zuko. A terrible thought. The hope of the world, gone. And it was all her fault.

Zuko looked at Katara, he noticed the tears on her face. He never had any experience with women crying. Technically he never had any _real _experience with women, except for Mai. But the thing is she never cried…

"Here", he tore off a part of his shirt and handed it to Katara.

"No, it's okay," she replied half-heartedly, wiping her face on her sleeve.

Another awkward silence.

The fire was crackling. Nobody wanted to talk. The silence was too uncomfortable. Sooner or later, somebody had to break the ice...

Though Zuko didn't want to open the topic, it would be better to hear her voice yelling at him rather than hear nothing at all.

"I wonder," he started softly, staring into the crackling flame, "what did I ever do to make hate me this much?"

He was preparing for the yelling-of-a-lifetime. But was surprised to hear her soft voice.

"I really don't know how you could possibly ask that. I mean are you really that thick?"

"Uhh…"

"How in the world could you possibly not know?"

"Uhm…"

"Okay then, I'll tell you…"

_Here we go…_

Katara stood up; she took a deep breath then started…

"First of all you hunt us around the world ever since Aang became known as the Avatar. Then, you tell me a sob story about your mother, how the Fire Nation took her. Okay, I felt sorry because it was the same thing that happened to me. Then you tell me about you and your dad and your scar. Then I began to think that _you _were actually human. I offered to heal it, but, whoa, was that a mistake!

YOU WANTED TO **KILL **AANG! YOU WANTED THE LAST HOPE OF THE WORLD DEAD! YOU WOULD RISK THE HOPE OF THE WORLD FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF A CRUEL, COLD-HEARTED MAN, WHO IS YOUR FATHER! I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU COULD POSSIBLY LIVE WITH THAT! AND NOW YOU COME TO US ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS AND UNDERSTANDING AFTER YOU SENT AN ASSASSIN AND HUNTED US AROUND THE WORLD. I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'VE CHANGED! YOU MAY HAVE THEM FOOLED BUT NOT ME! AND WORST OF ALL, YOU TOYED WITH MY FEELINGS, MAKING ME THINK THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY JUST LIKE US! I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW YOU COULD BE THIS COLD AND HEARTLESS!"

Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, tears fell from her eyes. Zuko kept his gaze on the fire, though everything that she said was true. Each sentence, each word pierced him like a sharp cold dagger. She sat back down, and looked in the dark, trying not to look at him. She had finally let her feelings out, she wasn't bottled up anymore. He knew. What could he think of her now?

"You're right. I am all those things. And it didn't take long before I realized that I couldn't live with the guilt of almost killing a person, the Avatar. I did want my father to accept me. But in wanting that, I was blind to the rest of the world, what had become of it. I didn't see anybody suffering; I only saw them in my way of my father's acceptance. The one that I have worked the last three years for."

"At least you know the trouble you have caused others. The troubled you caused us!" Katara said coldly, tears still falling from her face.

"I know what I've done. And I'm sorry –"

"Sorry? SORRY?" she said shrilly, "You think you can make it all go away with a sorry? How can you be that way? Do you know the magnitude of the damage that you caused? Do you know how many lives you've ruined? Families you and your people have broken up and destroyed?"

"Look, I'm not saying sorry for the whole fire nation. I'm saying sorry for my part. And also hoping that you'd…" he stopped.

"I'd what?"

He didn't want to say it, not because of pride, but because of what she'd say – what she'd think.

"I was hoping you'd forgive me okay? There I said it!"

"Forgive you? FORGIVE YOU? Zuko do you know what you did you – "

"I KNOW WHAT I DID! YOU TOLD ME ALREADY! AND YOU WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME, DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T! YOUR FATHER THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE A DISGRACE HE THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE NOTHING BUT A SCUM! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS? DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT COST ME? IT COST ME A PERMANENT LESSON BRANDED ON MY FACE! A SCAR THAT WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR! A SCAR THAT'LL ALWAYS BE THERE. No matter what you do."

He let it out! At last! His feelings, all out, all in the open. Nothing could make him feel bad. Well, except the thoughts of a certain water bender sitting next to him.

Katara was looking at the fire now. Her knees to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She said nothing but just stared.

"What? You're not going to say anything? Nothing? Nothing at all?"

She just stared, her blue eyes reflected the flames. Zuko just sat there waiting for her. _Come on say something! _

She finally opened her mouth to speak…

"I'm sorry, I had no idea…" she said quietly.

"What? You're sorry?" he said.

"Yes, okay I didn't know that you had to go through all that," she said a little louder, still starring at the fire.

"Is that all? Really? After what you said?"

"You know, _you_ act like you didn't cause us pain!"

"_You_ act like I never experienced pain!"

"Well you act like you never experienced it!" Tears were falling again. Zuko cannot stand seeing her cry. He brought out the piece of his shirt and handed it to her. She didn't refuse this time.

"You know, weird as it is, it bothers me how you think of me," Katara started.

Zuko looked a bit taken back.

"Why?"

"I don't know, after what happened at the Cave in the Earth Kingdom, I swore that I would never forgive you. But something in my mind, my heart told me that you needed to be given a chance. Only because everybody deserves a second chance even _you_. And the way I've been treating you, it doesn't seem like I've actually given it."

Zuko wasn't sure of what to answer. He never thought that she was as bothered as he was.

"You must think I'm pretty awful don't you?" Katara said giving a small smile and finally looking at him.

He stared into those beautiful blue eyes and saw a small spark. They reflected care and compassion. It made him feel warm, and loved.

He touched her hand and said,

"No, I don't."

She gave a weak laugh, "You're just saying that because you don't want me to yell at you again."

"No, I didn't know that you felt the same way."

She looked in his amber eyes, they burned with passion. The one that she was searching for the past few weeks. The one she was longing to get out of him.

He held her hand, it felt warm. His hand against hers made her feel secure and protected.

He leaned in closer, so did she. They were nose to nose again, and this time, they liked it. They both knew what would happen. They both didn't care; all they knew is that they felt right with each other. They found what they were searching for.

They leaned in closer. Their lips were drawing closer. It was only seconds away. But at that moment, the walls behind them crumbled. Rocks flew everywhere, and dust filled the air. Zuko covered her.

Once it all cleared, both were in their stance ready to defend themselves.

"Who's there?" Zuko called.

"Relax hothead, it's just me," said a familiar female voice.

"Toph?"

"Got that right sugarqueen!"

"How did you find us?"

"Well, my Earth bending came back after we found the treasure."

"So there really was a treasure?"

"Yup, and you couldn't guess what it was if you tried," said the young Air bender.

"Aang! You're alright." Katara hugged him.

"Yeah, you're right. You couldn't have guess what they were if you tried!" Sokka called out from behind Aang and Toph.

"Sokka!" She hugged him tight. She was glad to see her older brother, no matter how obnoxious he is.

"Yeah, yeah ,yeah," he said pulling away from his sister, "You know what they were?"

"Sokka, we weren't there." Katara answered.

"I know. That was a rhetorical question."

"Do you even know what rhetorical means?"

"Anyway, that's beside the point. They were just scrolls! Old, dusty, mold-infested scrolls!"

"Yeah, you should've have seen his face when we got there! It was priceless!" Toph laughed from one corner.

"How stupid am I, going for those stupid scrolls?" he exclaimed loudly.

"You know Sokka, you're a boy, stupidity comes naturally," Toph answered.

Sokka complained some more about having to escape hundred year old traps that almost killed him.

"You know if you used common sense, it wouldn't be that threatening," Toph retorted.

Now she and Sokka were arguing while Katara was laughing.

Nobody really seemed to notice Zuko. But at least one did notice him.

"Hey, so how was your day with Katara?" asked the young Air bender.

"Nothing new. So did you find a way out?"

"Yup, we found the exit after we found the scrolls."

"So are we going or not?"

When they came out of the temple, it was already dark. The moon had replaced the sun. The stars invaded the night sky, covering it in small sparkling jewels. The evening air was just the right temperature. The flying bison was glad it was heading back to a place where it could sleep, and eat. The lemur was just glad it can go and eat.

They reached the air temple and retold their stories over dinner.

"I guess we missed a lot today, didn't we Duke?"

"Yeah I guess."

"So, what happened when you guys were separated?" Teo inquired enthustiastically.

"Well, there were a lot of traps," Aang started, "Giant boulders, arrows, slides you know the usual."

"The best part was the darts," Toph started," Sokka, was crying like a little baby --"

"I was not!" Sokka called from the other side of the circle, "It was a manly complaint and I just had something in my eye!"

"Whatever, manly complaint, whatever you want to call it! You were still crying! Anyway, the best part was when Sokka stepped on a switch. We heard nothing. Then darts started flying from right behind us. We were all running, but Sokka got hit on the butt!"

Everybody started laughing, even Zuko felt a smile creep on his face.

When everybody had eaten, when everybody had had their fair share of laughter, they all went to bed. But for one fire bender, going to sleep wasn't an option after the day's events.

Zuko leaned on a pillar, looking up at the bright night sky pondering on what happened. Especially, with him and a certain water bender. _Did she really feel that way? Or did she know my feelings before I told her and she just felt sorry? _It was hard for him to feel this way. He had never felt this intensely about someone. He never felt so frustrated and angry, this didn't compare to his three-year banishment. This was much more.

Suddenly a figure was drawing nearer. He got into his stance and called, "Who's there?"

"Relax, it's just me," called Katara, "Why are you still out here?"

"I couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same thing."

Silence again. He started,

"It was a mistake telling you all those things."

"Look, you don't have to feel bad. It's okay."

"I feel like such an idiot. I mean I wasn't sure if I was myself or –"

She kissed him.

"I guess that was long overdue," she said, a hint of blush on her cheeks.

"Uhm, yeah," Zuko said, also reddening, eyes shifting from side to side.

"Look, I know you might be wondering whether I felt sorry for you or anything. Just know this, I didn't. And I do feel the same way."

Zuko smiled.

"So, goodnight?" Katara said.

Zuko held her by her waist and kissed her; she placed her arms around his neck.It felt so right, nothing else can compare.

"Yeah, goodnight," Zuko said, kissing her forehead and letting go of her.

They both went inside. They both went to their rooms. What will happen tomorrow? They can only guess. Though both were content on the events that took place. Katara was finally able to voice out what she wanted to say. Zuko was able to open up and finally release what he was bottling up for weeks now. And now as they lay their heads to sleep, they can still feel the warmth they got from each other's lips. They will sleep well tonight.


End file.
